Fighting Dirty
by Black Silken Rose
Summary: On matters of love and lust, it's usually best to leave pesky detectives to mind their own business. But sometimes, despite horrible miscommunications, surly would-be-lovers who don't want to admit their feelings, and seemingly dense air apparitions, prizes can be won. Jin/Kurama Request Fic.
1. Chapter 1

Hello again!

Just wanted to give a quick shoutout to the requestee of this story- you have been so wonderful to work with and thank you a hundred times over for it! I hope this turns out to be everything you wanted!

General warnings/disclaimer: thar be fluffy strangeness ahead. Angsty drama is at a minimum (but hey, it's me, and I wouldn't be me without a little bit of K and H butting heads), and there's plenty of third party ridiculousness. YYH is not mine, and the original author is clearly more sane than she who posted this. Now, onwards!

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Contrary to common belief, Yusuke was not a fool. Well, not entirely a fool. He saw plenty, and heard plenty, and occasionally he put two and two together and found himself with a sudden and obvious knowledge of something that no one else had. Or at least that Kuwabara didn't have. Either way, whenever one of these rare moments hit him, it hit like a brick wall to the face. And, like a side effect of the brain trauma that he would have had if that did happen, Yusuke gained a dangerous determination to do something about his discovery.

Honestly, he couldn't believe how he had missed it. It had, in point of fact, been staring him in the face since the Tournament, no, before that. He had noticed it, perhaps subconsciously, upon first meeting the fox. His long hair, too perfect features, eyes that shone brighter than he had ever seen on a human. It had actually pissed him off at first, how pretty he had been. He had pushed it off after that, let it slip to the back of his mind until the tournament. He couldn't help but notice it again then, where the spectators screamed messages of hate and all eyes strayed to the mysterious redhead.

It was inevitable when the death that he had thought would claim the fox turned out to be possession. He could no longer avoid the fox's beauty; the black raven had made sure of that, lacing each of his carefully chosen words with references to how he would claim it. But it had not been only his redheaded friend, as the words slowly poisoned his mind, who he had watched through the ordeal. The threat to him had effectively shaken a number of their party.

And Yusuke had noticed.

But those days had passed, the dangers and enemies seeming distant memories. Still, if he had learned anything from the thief it was to observe, quietly, from a distance. He had been doing just that, in the crowded room full of friends and glory filled reminiscing. He hadn't realized it when he called them all together; that this gathering would no doubt bring about a serious change in some of their lives- or that he would be the catalyst- but there they were, all in the perfect positions, just waiting for someone to start the fire. He would be damned if it went unnoticed any longer.

He almost didn't have to do anything; the tension was there plain and simple. Perhaps if he had stayed out of it and let nature take its course things would have turned out differently, but hindsight was twenty-twenty and the detective wasn't really one to dwell either way. To be fair, he hadn't been privy to what was going on inside the fox's mind, just that there had been some sort of a plan, a scheme, a coercion. All he really knew was what he saw, and that was enough to spur him into action. Or at least to give them a push.

The results were… surprising to say the least. His head canon had been set; it had been fairly obvious to him where the outcome would have lain if things had gone according to his ideas. Unfortunately for him, fate was neither on his side nor on the side he had been playing for. Not that he was complaining. He was just a bit baffled. It wasn't worth thinking too much over.

It had been months since they last saw each other, the tournament having ended and leaving everyone feeling abruptly purposeless. He supposed it should have been less than a shock to him to discover that the fox was restless, but he found himself blindsided by it nonetheless. That was the real risk of it all- nothing was more dangerous than a bored Kurama. Then again, the whole thing probably wouldn't have been so damn amusing if he hadn't been. No, then it would have just been cruel.

Even so, the stars had aligned in their strange way, a mix of joyous pleasure and mischief, to bring them under the same roof, and apparently with few inhibitions. That much was apparent to the boy as he watched Kurama laugh at something said by Touya while the other redhead hung on him, an arm curving around his shoulder. The three of them looked so natural together, the fox's slight picturesque awkwardness offset by the wind master's affectionate physicality. The conversation was animated, Jin having to move as the fox did to stay attached, but stay connected he did. Touya was staring up at him bright eyed and full of wonder, his admiration free for all to see. Yusuke took the moment to be thankful- that they had all managed to come out of the ordeal not only alive, but as friends.

It had been a miracle that they had all made it that evening and he was grateful, though mostly for Kurama. He had seemed out of sorts when he first slid the door open and made his entrance, as if the human mask had been wound too tight, but he was slowly beginning to fall back into his familiarities. Still, he wasn't completely free of whatever had been troubling him when he arrived, and it didn't escape the half-wit detective. It only added to the opportunity.

Not really taking his attention off of the thief, Yusuke let his eyes wander over to the most compact, and perhaps the most surprising, guest that evening. He was huddled in the far corner, brooding, his arms and legs seeming to melt into the rest of him under the confines of his dark cloak. He had spent the first half of the evening flitting wordlessly from one side of the room to the other, looking increasingly uncomfortable as a certain aqua haired ice maiden attempted less than subtly to inch her way over to him. Her luck was on the rise, it seemed, as he stayed glued in his spot, ruby eyes trained on the unlikely threesome conversing cheerily in the crowd. Or maybe it was just one member in particular. His expression was irritated, but no more than usual, a stoic mask. It was his eyes that gave him away, their expressiveness all that Yusuke needed to see the surface of what his smaller friend was thinking. He couldn't help but grin when he saw them widen as the arm around the kitsune squeezed playfully, then narrow with clear antagonism. There was no mistaking it: his friend had it bad, but really- who could blame him?

The detective was jolted from his thoughts for a moment as a rather drunken Chuu, who he had the pretense of talking to during his bout of public espionage, landed a rather large hand on his back, laughing at a sight across the room. Kuwabara had effectively tied himself up while Rinku was trying to explain how one of his yo-yo tricks worked, amusing everyone else more than the star speckled kid. He had startled the group with a loud shout as he landed on the ground, effectively pulling the gazes of everyone in the room except for the shrimp. Remembering his objective, Yusuke turned in time to see why the room suddenly spiked in temperature: the cause being Jin's arm, which had slid down to the fox's waist as they both turned to stare at the spectacle the carrot-top was making. The brown haired boy stared openly, his façade forgotten as he watched the former thief, who seemed equally as disinterested in the fumbling as he was. Instead, his face was checked, head cocked to the side as something passed through his brain, eyes lowered but pointed. He was looking into the corner without actually looking, calculating something. Then, to Yusuke's utter and complete astonishment, he turned into the arm around him, feigning awkwardness as the wind master realized his proximity with sheepish embarrassment. There was a locking of eyes between the redheads, neither making an attempt to move, and then the temperature skyrocketed.

"Hiei-san!" The room's attention shifted. Poor Yukina had been mere feet from her objective, but now found herself being slowly led away by Master Genkai. Everyone was looking around confusedly and some a little drunkenly. Touya, who seemed not to notice his two friends' not-quite embrace, offered to fix the temperature, also oblivious to its cause. Most everyone else had taken to opening the windows and doors, some even going to far as to wander into the yard after following the old woman's lead, but Yusuke stayed planted still, shaking off the slurring Sui Ken master as he tried to pull him on.

Like hell he was going to leave just yet. The king of Reikai and an entire apocalyptic hoard could have burst through the door and he still probably would've waited to see what Kurama did before paying them any mind. He was absolutely transfixed on the scene playing out in front of him, not sure where it all was going. He didn't realize he was holding his breath until he needed to breathe.

Kurama was the first to move, taking control of the situation; although Yusuke was fairly convinced that he had somehow arranged the whole show. The fox dropped his eyes, placing a hand against the horned demon's chest delicately, but making no real effort to push himself back. The eyes watching from the corner grew, only to narrow into suspicious slits as a rosy bottom lip protruded, ever so slightly, in a troubled pout. The fox raised his gaze again, carefully meeting the red one across the way as he did, challenging. The detective could feel the thickness of the air as he inhaled, watching forcefully as the muscles in Jin's arm became tense, his face clearly conflicted and confused. Then, without warning, Kurama slipped from that hold, gliding over to the open door with an arrogant swagger that spoke of victory- over what the detective was lost. With equal grace, and cool uncaring, he tossed his long locks over his shoulder before looking back at the pair: but mostly at Jin.

"Will you follow me?" He didn't wait for a response before slipping into the darkness, but didn't need to; Jin was next to him faster than any of them expected. Touya trailed behind, his face riddled with questions. Yusuke was not much better.

A breeze whipped past the detective, leaving him alone in the room as he realized that it had been Hiei making an exit. He blinked a few times, his brain still in the process of catching up with what had just happened. Still not entirely sure, Yusuke padded over to the door and sat down, staring out at his friends, who had taken to looking up at the starlit sky with great interest. Not knowing what else to do, the detective did what he thought the redhead would have done in his position. For the first time in his life, he stopped and analyzed what he saw before making an idiot of himself.

There were some things that he did know, or at least he thought he knew, which was good enough at the current moment. Clearly, something less than pleasant was going on between his two closest demon friends. Then again, being demons, was that so strange? He couldn't help but think that it was- Kurama had never been less than friendly with their acid tongued friend. Hell, the masochistic fox even seemed to enjoy the verbal, and sometimes physical, abuse that the spiky haired youkai dealt him- even encouraged some of his behaviors. There was something innately different about this encounter, even if they hadn't spoken. The two had a way of communicating that no one else understood or was a part of, and Yusuke was sure that something had been agreed in all of that silence and staring. Even knowing this, it felt unlikely that the two had actually fought- those occurrences were few and far between, but could be sensed from miles away. Their arguments were explosive, making even the foolhardy detective want to back off and wait for the coals to cool. This had been subtle. Whatever it was, he wasn't convinced either of them knew the real reason behind it either.

Then there were the Shinobi- how they played into it was beyond him. He highly doubted that either one of the two elementals would willingly place themselves in the middle of a quarrel between the others. Though, there was no denying that they had something to do with the discretion. At least Jin had. That whole encounter had been… strange.

It shouldn't have felt so peculiar. They were all well aware that Jin was the type to be physically affectionate- the detective more so than most. Still, it had been out of place to see him in such close proximity to Kurama, who Yusuke couldn't remember having seen him talk to before. The fox himself didn't seem too fond of platonic touch- the only one he ever seemed to lay a hand on was Hiei, and the detective had assumed that it had been an attempt at getting under his skin. Unless his eyes were playing tricks on him, or Chuu had slipped something into his drink, he had been witness to an oddity. To Kurama, every action held layers upon layers of meaning; nothing was ever done without considerable intent. It was this intent that Yusuke couldn't put his finger on. Well, Kurama was a mystery- he certainly wasn't the only one who thought so.

Hiei, on the other hand, was much easier to figure out- at least as far as the detective was concerned. He had seen the evolution of his dark haired friend as the year went by from a vengeful hunter to a valued ally and friend. It didn't take a genius to see that this change had been facilitated by the fox, who had acted as a gentle conscious, quietly shadowing, but stern. The detective couldn't remember the last time he saw the fire demon alone; he was always in the presence of the flame-haired thief. He had gathered that the two had spent a great deal of time together outside of their missions, or at least compared to how much he saw the swordsman. Like it or not, the hi youkai had grown attached to the half human who had taken it upon himself to alter his entire existence. They all had; but none like Kurama.

Yusuke had picked up on enough subtleties to suggest that the fire demon harbored feelings other than friendship for their illustrious companion, but none had sent him red flags like this one- if it could even be called subtle. At first, he had kept this information up his sleeve like a hidden ace, the perfect tool to tease him about if ever he found himself in dire need of blackmail against the other. He had found it amusing back then, thinking it nothing more than a human crush. That had been before he saw the other's growth, before he realized just how damaged his friend had been in the beginning, before he knew how deep Kurama had to sink in to pull him back from it. After that, the subtle clues to his feelings made the detective feel heavy inside; as if he was sharing in some sort of burden that he could never verbalize to his friend. Now that the trials were over, he had hoped to wring his friend in- not that he had much experience with extinguishing unrequited love. They had parted ways, though, and he would be forced to move on. At least, that's what Yusuke had hoped.

It was apparent that he had been wrong, though, from the events of that evening. Hiei had been openly agitated at the touch, not even bothering to control his own energy as his emotions flared up. That alone was enough to cause the detective to marvel; the hi youkai was all about discipline. To be fair, he had been provoked.

It hit him like one of Jin's whirlwind fists. Of course he'd been provoked; Kurama was no fool after all. There was no way the fox was oblivious to the other's regard for him, not with his otherworldly astuteness. Which begged the question: why had he made such an affectionate and coy show of touching Jin? All he had succeeded in doing was making Hiei jealous.

Unless that was his endgame. If it was, he had done one hell of a job at it. The detective stared out at the redhead, as if concentrating hard enough on his image would help him make sense of everything. Kurama had relaxed considerably now that Hiei had fled the scene, which for some reason only served to piss Yusuke off. Would Kurama actually go out of his way to enflame his friend, knowing his feelings?

No, he wouldn't. Yusuke felt himself calm down as the pieces fell into place, albeit belatedly. The fox was staring into the tree line, and the detective could now see that his face had softened noticeably. His expression was worn, as if he had somehow exhausted himself. Yusuke understood then, seeing the lines on his face, that he hadn't been acting maliciously.

Yes, Kurama was well aware of how their friend felt about him. From what Yusuke could gather, though, that feeling wasn't entirely one sided. Whether it was mutual love or pure attraction, he couldn't rightly say, but there was definitely something there. Knowing Hiei, they would never move forward in their relationship, never take any steps toward a future that wasn't guaranteed or secure- let alone one that involved facing their emotions. He could see now that the fox's little stunt from earlier had been a sort of push.

Then it happened, the slight pull at his lips, the spark in his eye as the gears began turning once more and the idea fell into place. Kurama wasn't the only one who could play an angle, and for some reason Yusuke felt that it was his chance- that it was his duty- to finally put all of this information to good use.

The crowd outside began to trickle back into their rooms; Genkai had been kind enough to offer the space for a little over a week, securing enough futons and blankets for the extended stay of a small army, though no one really knew how long anyone would be there. The detective assumed that Kurama's presence that evening meant he would stay at least a couple of days, and a couple of days was all he needed. After all, if the fox's attitude from the moment he arrived meant anything, it was that he was fed up with his partner. Hiei had not yet returned, but his energy hadn't completely disappeared. He'd be back; just not before the sun rose. Two days would be more than enough.

The detective watched as Jin walked Kurama back to his room, lingering in conversation much longer than was expected of him. As Jin turned to leave, the detective met the fox's eyes. For a moment, they just studied each other, but wind master cut off their staring contest by pulling the brown haired teen back to reality with a tousle of his hair. They exchanged a few words, and Yusuke planted the first seed of his plan in the Shinobi's brain.

Oh, yes; he was going to enjoy being the one pulling the strings for once. After all, he was using his powers for good… and his own amusement. Grinning, he quietly snuck into the room he and the carrot-top shared, slipping out of his day clothes and into the covers of his futon.

Tomorrow, it would all change. Let the games begin.

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A/N: Thanks for reading everyone!

**Let's bring the fandom back to life! **I'm working on a series of fanfics to breathe new life into the YYH Yaoi community, but to do that I need to know what you want. So please, leave reviews or shoot me a pm with your requests! I promise I don't bite!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: The genius that is Yu Yu Hakusho is not mine. If it were, we'd see a lot more of our friends from the Dark Tournament! (cough cough Jin!)

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Hiei had still not returned by the time the kitsune woke the next morning. He had hoped that his friend would have snuck back in while he was sleeping, but the air was void of his energy- no such appearance had been made. It was just hours after sunrise, but the fox deemed it time for relocation; it would give the fire demon some time to sleep without disturbance if he did choose to return to the room they were supposed to be sharing. He sighed. These disappearing acts were only adding to his frustration.

Kurama was surprised to say the least when he found Yusuke not only awake, but alert. The detective had, inexplicably, wrestled the redheaded Shinobi out of bed as soon as he could manage, dragging him down the hall and into the kitchen. Jin, to his credit, had put up an impressive fight, but the matter was quickly settled when an overtired and extremely grumpy ice apparition shot them a glare that clearly said, There will either be silence or there will be death. That was all it took for the two to take their impromptu wrestling match elsewhere, as Yusuke had planned.

The fox greeted them both with a tired smile- Yusuke guessed that he hadn't gotten much sleep the night before- and began making the necessary preparations for breakfast. He had pulled up his hair, giving the pair an enticing view of his neck, something they were unaccustomed to. The kitsune was never one to show skin, even during battles where his counterparts' clothing were somehow reduced to shreds, almost as if the patron saint of modesty kept one eye on him at all times. It was impossible not to stare, to take in the curve as creamy skin met with his shoulder, to wonder what secrets were being hidden under the soft, just-too-big sweater that graced his musculature. The detective may not have been enamored with his friend, but it was impossible not to be… interested. Captivated. A light blush crawled up the Shinobi's neck as he watched the line of his friend's eyes, the way they trailed over the other without so much as a spoken word.

"Oi, Urameshi. Quit starin' at Kurama; you're givin' me the heeby jeebies with that face o' yours." He shifted in his chair somewhat uncomfortably and Yusuke grinned wickedly; he was clearly thinking the same thing about the viridian eyed fighter. Kurama turned, eggs in hand, to meet the gaze of the human teen.

"Lay off, Jin. Kurama doesn't mind; do you, Kurama?" He made it a point to drag his eyes over his friend's delicate stature before making eye contact, punctuating his action by leaning back in his chair cockily, daring the other to catch on. It would have taken much less, but the detective wasn't one for his showmanship. Or his plans. Those both belonged to the fox.

Kurama's face betrayed no emotion as he observed his friend's uncharacteristic actions, weighing his options. A full two seconds passed before he allowed himself to react, a small smile tugging at his lips as he balanced his gaze between the two in front of him.

"No, not at all." His eyes crinkled around the edges, a playful glint hiding behind blank cheerfulness. Jin was now openly staring at him, more shocked than anything else, his blush having crept up to the tip of his ears. Seeming not to realize what he was doing, the air apparition licked his lips, finding himself suddenly nervous. The action only made the fox smile more, and the Shinobi had never felt more like a cornered hen in his life.

The kettle whistled, breaking their visual stalemate as Kurama turned to prepare the tea, but his hand wavered.

"Jin," he began, not looking up from what he was doing, "Would you be so kind as to prepare the tea while I finish this?"

Oh yes, Yusuke smirked. He had gotten the message. It took all his effort not to roll his eyes as the horned demon rose from his chair at a ridiculous speed, appearing at the other redhead's side as if it was a matter of dire urgency. The detective watched for a moment as the two slipped into a rhythm, then excused himself, saying something about finding a deck of playing cards.

Kurama's attention was split, so he let Yusuke disappear without giving it much notice. One part of his brain was trying to figure out the detective's motivations; unless he was mistaken, the boy was playing some twisted game of matchmaker. Or just teasing him. Either way, the situation seemed a bit unprompted… unless his hintings had been noticed.

On the other hand, he was letting himself be preoccupied with following the other's lead. He couldn't rightly deny it, not with the way he made sure his hand brushed over the air apparition's as he handed him the delicate porcelain cups for the tea, the way touched his forearm lightly when directing him to the tray, or the soft, almost sensual tones in which he spoke, as if sharing a secret. The wind master's reactions were immediately solicited: a blush here, his stammered speech.

It wasn't an entirely farfetched idea. Though, frankly, the actions of the night before had simply been convenient. Something in his beautiful mind itched for what the other was unconsciously offering him, and it had been too long since that feeling had been sated.

And why shouldn't he? It wasn't as if he were waiting for anything… well, it wasn't as if he were waiting for anything that was likely in this lifetime. He had bided his time; his human mother had already approached the idea of him finding his own place a distance from their dwelling, now that she was a newlywed- she could hardly be considered an excuse for him to keep with his chaste saintliness. His schooling was on hold as well; he graduated early with hurried diligence once his step-brother had moved in, rightly hoping that it would earn him a chance to give Shiori the life he wanted for her as soon as possible. He had done just that, and now found himself with an immense amount of time and not much to do with it. Not being opposed to some of the habits of his earlier lifestyle, he had already begun looking for safe holds in the human world that would mimic his dens of the Makai from years long passed, but all of that was just preparation. Something in the Makai air was still unsettled, leaving that option out, and he wasn't willing to play his old games in Ningenkai while his mother was still alive. He worried at his bottom lip with his teeth absentmindedly.

Waiting never seemed this hard. But then, that could be said for a lot of things.

His mind pulled him back to the task at hand as he sat across from the Shinobi, who had taken to devouring the eggs at a ghastly speed. Jin was certainly a good candidate… if he was actually considering it. Despite his look he was older than most of their little gang, being a Shinobi and all, and that meant experience. He certainly knew how to work with at partner; he and Touya communicated well both on and off the battlefield. As for attraction, well, it wasn't really a question he had to ponder long.

More importantly was trust. It had been years since the kitsune had taken a partner, his whole human lifetime in point of fact. Whether he wanted it to or not, it would be a first for him, and that meant that it mattered. If he wasn't going to choose a partner out of reasons of love, it had better damn be out of trust. Then again, in Makai, weren't the two synonymous? Of all things that stood out to the fox, it was that Jin was loyal- maybe even to a fault. He had declared his allegiance to Yusuke and his followers, and it was not to be taken lightly. Maybe, just maybe, this could work.

Now all there was to do was convince Jin.

"Yusuke stares at you, you stare at me… who am I supposed to be starin' at then?" He didn't realize he had been looking intently at the other until he spoke. Jin's face was tilted down toward his bowl of rice, but his eyes pointed upward with a look of slight concern and curiosity. Kurama blinked a few times, the puppy-eyed look catching his attention and derailing his thoughts. Almost unconsciously, but equally deliberate, he leaned forward to brush a grain of rice from the corner of wind master's mouth, taking a second longer than he needed to. Jin's effort to control his blush did not go unnoticed, though he did not move.

"You could look only at me," his intonation and smile were innocent, but his eyes clearly reflected his implication. It couldn't be helped; the idea certainly was intoxicating. Especially with the other growing pink at the very suggestion. The fox was surprised at how much he was enjoying his new plan- that and the fact that it was no longer a question in his mind.

"I didn't think you liked to be looked at so much," the horned demon had broken their gaze for a moment, focusing on the chopsticks that he was rolling between his fingers like a child. He peeked back up, just as astonished as the fox was at his claim. He truly hadn't expected that.

"Isn't it obvious?" the words came out before he thought them through. Suddenly, it was Jin's turn to grin. Slightly triumphant, but not at all condescending or ill meant. He was simply jubilant, something that the former thief absorbed refreshedly. None of his other companions had ever looked so pleased to have gotten an unintended bit of information from him- specifically one in particular. The difference made something in the pit of his stomach flutter.

He wasn't given a chance to dwell on the feeling as the door loudly crashed open, none other than the detective bursting through.

"Hey, you two, I just had a brilliant idea- I know they don't come often so listen up. We have no clue when the next time we'll all be together will be, so why not stage a little contest of our own?" The boy was grinning from ear to ear, and Kurama wondered how brilliant this plan could be if he couldn't so much as remember the cards he had been looking for.

"What'chya have in mind Urameshi? Though I bet I'd have you by the hair no matter what yer plannin'!" the Shinobi baited, taking the opportunity to shift the conversation away from the fox. Yusuke showed no signs of being perturbed, rolling his eyes a little before continuing.

"Yeah, well we already know that we're a pretty equally matched pair in the ring. What fun is that anyway?" His tone had changed slightly, leaving the kitsune to wonder if he was going where he thought with this game.

"What exactly are you suggesting then, Yusuke?" Kurama's voice was even, but his expression suggested that he was prepared to follow the detective's lead once more. Yusuke couldn't help but widen his grin.

"Let's do a round of unlikely matches- us versus whoever we never would have considered sparring with before. I mean, we always go for the obvious pairs, don't we? Let's mix it up a bit while we've still got the chance." His eyes strayed from the half human to his demon friend, who was scratching at his head- no doubt suspicious. "Come on, I kinda want to have a go at Touya, and haven't you said you've wanted to see what Kurama's got, Jin?" The Shinobi looked at the redhead in question, who was still staring up at Yusuke without a hint to what was going on in his mind.

"I dunno, Urameshi. It all just sounds a bit-"

"I think it's a great idea."

A moment of stunned silence followed. Kurama cocked his head to the side, looking from the detective to the air apparition, the picture of innocent questioning. "Unless you don't want to?"

He wasn't given a chance to answer. Before he could even open his mouth, the detective had declared it a go, sitting down at the table with unbidden excitement and beginning to outline who would be matched against whom. The kitsune's untouched eggs were pushed in front of him, and he ate without missing a beat in his plan. Jin watched, eyebrow raised, as the fox stood from his seat, taking his small bowl of rice with him.

"Well, I suppose I should wake the others then. We seem to have an eventful day ahead of us." He smiled again, capturing both boys gazes before shuffling down the hall and into one of the other's rooms. Jin watched until he disappeared, then turned on the detective.

"I don't like that look about you. What do you know that I don't, now?" He narrowed his eyes a bit, as if it would harshen his look, but Yusuke only laughed between bites.

"Oh, come on Jin. Don't I get to have my own little secrets? Besides, you'll like this one. I guarantee it." The teen had moved on to what was left of the Shinobi's rice, not bothering to ask if he was finished. Jin leaned back in his seat, arms crossed, but a smile where a frown once resided.

"Well I do like surprises- just nothin' too serious I hope." You have no idea, Yusuke thought as he finished the bowl.

"Serious? Me? Come on, let's find a spot for our matches." He didn't wait for Kurama, who he assumed would catch them up once he had gathered their crew as he dragged the still somewhat apprehensive wind master towards the tree line.

He was pleased with himself. More than pleased- if this worked out the way he was hoping, he'd crown himself boy wonder. This plan was sure to do the trick. All that was missing was Hiei.

After all, what use was flustered Jin and flirtatious fox if the fire demon in question wasn't there to witness it?

He wasn't overly worried; there had been a familiar energy loitering around the compound when Yusuke had decided to take his impromptu stroll, and had it been anyone else it would have been killed. He'd find them all eventually, and if they were lucky he'd have first row seats to the Jin-Kurama face-off that was going to take place.

The matchup had been a stroke of genius on Yusuke's part: both fighters were keen on talking and testing during their respective skirmishes, which would give them plenty of opportunity to interact. It was just how they interacted that would either make or break his scheme. Kurama, as he always did, had seemed to know exactly what Yusuke had in mind; he just wondered how he would go about accomplishing it. Jin, on the other hand, still wasn't up to speed, despite his suspicions. It was a mystery to the detective whether that would work in their favor. The biggest obstacle in their way was the same variable he was missing: it would take careful effort to keep Hiei there throughout the fight… and possibly from killing Jin.

In typical Yusuke style, he decided not think about it.

Jin, unsurprisingly, was thoroughly and completely confused. He had found himself in this state the night before, but it had only gotten worse as the day progressed. What exactly was going on between the three of them was beyond his comprehension, though he had an idea that he was being kept in the dark on purpose. Still, it made him happy to be pulled into Yusuke's inner circle, not to mention into Kurama's. He was a whole different story, it seemed.

Something was horribly different about the fox in the past twenty-four hours. Unless he had been imagining it, Kurama was somewhat off kilter, even his aura felt different. The way he moved, the tone of his voice, it all seemed so much more seductive than he remembered. Of course, the last time they had seen each other was in the middle of the Ankoku Bujutsukai- one could hardly expect his charm to be at their top levels then. He shook the thought away. There was no doubt he was charming, and it would have been a boldfaced lie to say that he didn't find himself ridiculously attracted to the soft spoken warrior. Even Yusuke, who loved Keiko more than anything else in the world, was drawn to him. Certainly that wasn't his fault.

Maybe it was just him. He had been acting strangely in the presence of the fox since his arrival- though he had assumed it was because he looked up to him so much. But that didn't account for the way he had felt with the other in his arms the first night, or how he had run after him. Actually, his eyes had been following the fox for far longer than his brain had been aware of, realization sinking in belatedly as Yusuke dragged him into a suitable clearing. He wriggled uncomfortably at the thought, suddenly becoming self conscious. His mind flashed back to that look in the other's eyes, something completely foreign to him. That look spelled trouble, but he still found himself with a quickening heartbeat. Curiosity, nothin' more. Even he didn't believe himself.

Then again, Kurama seemed just as keen on whatever was happening as he did- if not more so. He had to at least admit that he looked forward to their fight; it was something he had hoped for since he saw what the half human was capable of against Touya. This was their vacation, a break from the world shattering, family threatening competitions which they were accustomed to. Surely they could put aside whatever was growing between them for a friendly match, couldn't they?

To Yusuke's delight, they most certainly could not.

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A/N: Hey Everyone, **Let's bring the fandom back to life! **I'm working on a series of fanfics to breathe new life into the YYH Yaoi community, but to do that I need to know what you want. So please, **leave reviews or shoot me a pm** with your requests! I promise I don't bite!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. Shocking, huh?

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Kurama's mood had fallen exponentially by the time he gathered everyone up and made his way toward the two energy signatures which he identified as Yusuke and Jin. After a less than friendly encounter with a certain fire demon in the hallway, he ached for the promise of a good match. His limbs had grown tense; between the weeks of relative inactivity and the frustration from the other he found himself in a fairly constant state of exasperation.

Why should I care what you do?

The words echoed bitterly in his mind as he trudged through the greenery, making an effort to calm himself but finding it uncharacteristically difficult. Even with his sharp tongue, the fire demon had flitted off in the direction he was now heading, which should have offered him some comfort. He failed to feel it, though, as he fumed over the other's recent behavior. He had become so distant, so unwilling to continue their partnership and even worse their friendship. The fox was lost as to what had brought about this change in his smaller friend, but everytime he reached out he was met with cool indifference. After nearly dying together at the Ankoku Bujutsukai, or more accurately nearly dying for each other's sake, he had hoped that they would have grown closer. Instead, he had been abandoned.

The whole group was arranged in a large clearing toward the far end of Genkai's property, the old warrior herself opting to stay behind and help Yukina tend to some undisclosed chores. Yusuke was babbling happily to Chuu, meeting the fox's eyes with a glimmer. He nodded at him, then turned his attention to the rest of the group.

Hiei was leaning against a tree on the sidelines, eyes closed, looking peaceful. Kurama relaxed for a moment, taking in the sight, then froze. Their gaze had locked, and for a moment the veridian eyed fighter thought he saw something reflected in them. They widened slightly, then were turned away. The fox suppressed a sigh. Apparently progress would not be forthcoming.

Jin had been talking to Touya, but he excused himself when he saw the other redhead approach. He glanced over at Yusuke, who had made the same connection, and called everyone over.

"Alright everyone, so here's how this is gonna work. We're gonna pair off, each of us with someone we've never fought before. We're starting off later than we planned, so let's do two fights at a time. First, Kuwabara, you're with Chuu. Jin, you and Kurama will go at the same time. After that it's me and Touya, and Hiei you're with Rinku. Any questions? Good! Let's get going!"

The air was charged, clear anticipation for the fights about to occur swirling around them. Kuwabara and Chuu took one half of the clearing, which was marked in the middle by a great oak, while Jin and Kurama wandered onto the other side. The first pair went directly into a dialogue on how the other would lose, which was both expected and tedious. The onlookers, knowing that it would be some time before they actually took to fighting, turned their attention to the other pair.

Kurama was kneeling in the center of the space they were allotted, letting his fingers run over the long grass as the last few points in his plan were settled. He stood slowly, breathing deeply before turning to look at the one across from him, ignoring the small group watching them. Jin just stared, waiting to see what the other would do. To his surprise, Kurama only smiled, then gestured for them to meet in the middle. He obliged, but couldn't help but feel hesitant.

"Jin," the kitsune began, speaking lower than he usually would, forcing the other to invade his personal space just to hear him. "This forest is incredibly old, you know. It would be a shame if we harmed it out of sport. What do you say we set the terms for this fight? Only one or two of our basic techniques each, a fight of skill? Winner can choose his prize after. What do you say?" The words were only a breath, carried away before they could reach the ears of the others. Jin suddenly became very aware of his surroundings as one of the fox's long fingers brushed across his wrist, despite it being out of the others' sight. He stepped back, trying to swallow the strangeness he felt as he met the redhead's eyes, nodding in agreement.

"Sounds like a plan to me. But I won't be goin' easy on ya, so don't hold out on me, ya hear?" They had separated by a fair distance, the wind master taking a ready stance in anticipation. Kurama lifted his hand, a signal that he was just as ready.

"I wouldn't dream of it."

Then, the kitsune's eyes closed, his long eyelashes fluttering as a breeze swept past them. His mouth parted, ever so slightly, drawing attention to his soft lips. The raised hand flipped his hair back in an exaggerated arc. Again, there was that peek of flesh. Between the fox and the sunlight, Jin found himself blinded. His muscles had just begun to relax when he realized that the former thief had summoned his rose.

He had barely enough time to move before the rose, which was extending with the movement, flew through the air, nearly taking his feet out from under him. The wind master jumped, fumbling through the air in his surprise, but that didn't stop him from catching the mischievous smile that graced the other's lips. It also didn't stop him from grinning back, his ears twitching in delight at the rise of a new challenge. They were still for a moment, just smirking at each other, then bounded forward.

The onlookers watched with baited curiosity as the two began to dance and twirl around each other, Jin trying to get a close quarters hit while Kurama kept him at a distance through clever use of his whip. Yusuke's eyes were fixed on the scene playing out in front of him. It had been months since he had watched a fight with such attention to detail. Kurama's movement was fluid; his momentum seemed to guide him exactly where he needed to be without the slightest effort. Had Yusuke not known the real reason behind the fight, he might not have even noticed. The almost contact that Jin was allowed to make, the near misses of the whip- they were all intentional. The wind master still seemed oblivious, but Yusuke could tell that Kurama had executed stage one of his plan.

The fox moved slyly, drawing his opponent in, only to slip away at the last moment. Neither fighter had gotten particularly serious, a perfect opportunity for him to show off his physical prowess. Each blow that would have otherwise been blocked by the whip the fox almost let connect, taking every attack as if it were a step in a complicated waltz. He twisted and turned his body, at times letting it brush along the muscled skin of the other, planting the subconscious seeds that he would use in the next stage. Jin's eyes followed him, as he expected of the fighter, as he moved in a sensual circle around the horned demon. With every free moment between blows the kitsune let his free hand wander over his own body: through his hair as it fell unceremoniously in his face, over his torso as Jin's fist almost made contact with it, along his calf as he stretched across the ground in a sideways crouch. The wind master's face scrunched up in thought, and he knew it was time to move on to the second round.

No one seemed to be watching Kuwabara and Chuu, though the drunkard hadn't noticed and the carrot-top was too busy being teased by him to really get a comment in edgewise. All eyes were on the redheads, their interest having been peaked by the difference in the feeling of the fight. Yusuke was surprised at how quickly he had noted the change, and he'd be damned not to admit how good Kurama looked with this change in style. It was like watching a performance, and the detective could feel heat rising to his face as he watched the half human fun his fingers along his own skin, as he feigned an innocent misstep just to get within closer proximity of his target, of how his eyes swept over that half covered skin. Even his own cheeks were flushed from the sight of it- he could only imagine what it must've been doing to Jin.

Or to Hiei.

Suddenly remembering his role, he looked over to the fire demon, who had joined the group once the fight began. The expression painted on his face was a puzzle, each piece a different emotion that he was sorting through silently. There was clear interest- none of them had ever seen the redhead fight as if winning was only secondary to his vanity. It couldn't be helped that he was captivated, even if it was painful to see. That was the second piece, the touch of hurt at such an open display of desire, aimed at another. There was also impatience; his bound left hand twitched as if it itched to jump in and take the wind master's place in the fight, to put a stop to the foolishness. And then the ruby eyes grew large, drawing Yusuke's attention back to the match, earning a small gasp from him as he saw the whip finally connect with Jin, wrapping around his torso with ease.

The Shinobi was thrown to his side of the arena. Using the momentum, he attempted to pull the whip from Kurama's grasp. Knowing that it was a foolish move, but one that still managed to work to his advantage, the fox thief pulled back, digging his feet in the ground and lessening the force of his ki. The wind master slipped from the whip's grasp, his top becoming nothing more than a pile of scraps as he tried to right himself in mid-air. The move had also knocked Kurama off balance, plunging him into the ground on the opposite side of their makeshift arena. Using his tactical advantage, Jin dove, swinging his fist as he descended on the plant master. Kurama didn't move for a moment, not having anywhere to go, before the horned demon came down on him.

Yusuke and Touya both stifled gasps as the fox thief caught the offending fist in his hand, Jin's other arm digging deep into the ground with the force that he had exhausted. The two wrestled for a moment, neither willing to back down. Sweat broke over both of their foreheads as their energy clashed, and Yusuke could see that slowly, Kurama was sinking back into the dirt below at Jin's strength. Then, without warning, the tables turned once more.

At first, no one knew exactly what he was planning. They only watched as the fox turned his head, maneuvering so that he could raise his hips. Jin nearly faltered as his thighs met the other's with a soft brush, distracting him. Suddenly, Kurama let out a cry and his energy surged. Before he had a chance to escape, vines shot from the ground, wrapping themselves around Jin's legs, arms, and torso. The vines twisted around each limb, working their way quickly into the confines of what clothing he had left, pulling him roughly around and into the ground. The fox, from his new position, had no trouble flipping the horned demon onto his back, sliding up to straddle his waist as the other struggled to break free. The wind master, it seemed, was grounded.

Yusuke bit his lip, watching almost breathlessly as the two's positions were switched. His fists were clenched, an attempt at taming the rough beating of his heart and heat down below that had risen when Kurama had taken control. His eyes hadn't deceived him; the fox was incredibly slick. Up until then, he didn't even know it was possible to manipulate a plant so precisely, but Kurama had done exactly that: his vines making their way up the air apparition's thin pants, teasingly sliding over the seams of his legs. The vines around his chest were working similarly, constricting and loosening as they slid over exposed skin, no doubt to encourage blood flow to more sensitive areas. The fox was clever, the movement of the plants seeming random and haphazard to the untrained eye. He might have even missed it, if not for the hitch in the Shinobi's breath as he conceded the fight much too easily.

There really was nothing else he could do. Even if he wasn't out of breath, even if the vines holding him suddenly let up and he was able to break free, Jin knew that he couldn't fight for a second longer. In fact, he never wanted to fight the insane redhead again. Not with the eyes that were staring down at him from a very compromising position, or the hands that were resting against his chest, playing with one of the wriggling vines, or with the pressure that being sat on was putting up against the right places. In fact, if Kurama had asked just about anything of him right then, he'd probably have agreed to it without hesitation- anything to stop the wave of arousal that he was causing him.

In front of their friends no less.

The fox wiggled somewhat in an attempt to straighten his posture, only causing the pressure to grow. The Shinobi dared for a moment to look up at him, swallowing nervously at the implication those eyes showed. They were hard. So, he flushed to admit, was he.

"Okay, Kurama, you win this one. Feel like letting me go?" He struggled weakly against the bindings on his arms, but stopped abruptly when that only made them move more. He bit back a gasp as something slid dangerously close to his nether region. Were there ridges along those vines? It seemed as if they were designed to drive him crazy. The fox shot him a triumphant grin before he spoke, his voice much too casual and unaffected.

"Not at all." He slid off of him despite that, the vines retreating into the ground as he backed away, making his way over to the rest of the gang without looking back. Jin immediately turned to his side, away from the crowd, to catch himself. After a couple hurried, yet deep breaths, he stood, turning to the group that was talking, all fired up from the fight.

He didn't expect it, but then, that's what the other had hoped.

Kurama jerked as he was tackled from behind, nearly losing his footing and falling face first into the grass. Luckily, the blow wasn't hard, only meant to throw him off. He tried to whip around and see what had come over his friend, but was stopped by an arm wrapping around his shoulder, keeping him in place. A pink-faced Shinobi beamed down at him, squeezing him with a playful shake that pulled the fox from his triumphant reverie.

"Geez, Kurama, you sure are frightening with that gleam in your eye!" The sentence came out as a boisterous laugh, the air apparition's eyes crinkled in a smile as he choked the words out. Knowing that laughter was a surefire fix for just about anything, the Shinobi watched and waited as the blank, carefully constructed face the fox wore cracked, and then the air was filled with the twinkle of Kurama's voice, raw and pure, as he broke down under the other's gaze. He reached out, grasping at the Shinobi's chest as the two of them shook, laughing so hard that they nearly fell to the ground.

The rest could only stare, and some smile, as the two made it the rest of the way back, connected by Jin's arm and Kurama's shoulders. They were still laughing, softly, when Yusuke jumped up to offer the proper congratulations and teasings. He almost missed it when the dark fighter turned to slip into the treeline, but yelled over at him just in time.

"Hey, Hiei, aren't you going to stay for your fight?" The response he got was more or less what he expected. The fire demon drew his sword, twirling it before stopping to point the end at Rinku, who at this point had lost all the color in his face.

"Do you want to die, child?" The yo-yo prodigy scampered behind Chuu, who had won his respective fight and looked about ready to sleep off his binge, giving the apparition his answer. Hiei looked back at the threesome quickly, his face stoic yet revealing, before sheathing his sword and vanishing from sight.

The arm around the kitsune tightened again before slipping off, drawing Kurama's attention back to his plan. Something in him softened at the treatment, calming the fire that had been dictating his decision making since the idea crossed him. How could he have thought that the tactics he was employing were right for Jin? No, the wind master was neither any other companion nor was he cold and unfeeling. The games, the underhandedness, they all seemed incredibly silly to him now that the fight was over. Jin was more than just loyal- he was open. Honest. Surely, if anything would convince him to touch the fox, it would be simply to ask.

He turned to Yusuke, who was motioning to Touya to get ready for their match. It was no surprise to the detective when he excused himself, leaving an open ended invitation for the air apparition to follow. The brown haired boy waved them off, hoping that he had played an effective part in bringing the plan to fruition. The air apparition followed behind the kitsune without prompting, stopping him at the door of the compound with a soft hand to his arm.

"Oi, Kurama, where exactly do you think you're goin'?" He asked, suddenly afraid that everything up until then had been in his head. There was a second of silence, then the edges of the former thief's lips turned upward, an almost smile, and the glint returned to his eyes. How he could ever mistake that look, Jin wasn't sure.

"Don't you know? To claim my prize, of course." As if hypnotized, Jin followed the fox inside.

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A/N: Hey Everyone, **Let's bring the fandom back to life! **I'm working on a series of fanfics to breathe new life into the YYH Yaoi community, but to do that I need to know what you want. So please, **leave reviews or shoot me a pm** with your requests!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hey all, thanks for reading until the end! **Let's try to bring the fandom back to life!**

I'm open for requests, so** leave a review or shoot me a pm with what you'd like to see!** My OTP is Hiei/Kurama, but if you've read this far you can see I'm not opposed to others! I love working with reviewers, so don't be afraid to send in your ideas!

That's all for now, so enjoy the last part of Fighting Dirty! Disclaimer: YYH is not mine. Reality hurts.

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Contrary to common belief, Jin was not a fool. At least, not entirely a fool. He had been around for long enough as a Shinobi, perhaps even as long as the fox thief, and had managed to keep himself alive somehow. Or maybe Touya did. Either way, his considerable 'not dying' streak had given him a sense of awareness that had, at least in part, kept him on his toes. So when Kurama led him into the small room where he had spent the night before, alone, he knew what was coming next. Well, if it hadn't been Kurama he would have known. Then again, if it hadn't been Kurama, he wouldn't have followed. Life was full of such idiosyncrasies.

Without much warning, a weight pressed into the Shinobi's chest as the door slid closed behind him, as if sealing his fate. For a moment, he felt resigned to his prediction. Disappointed. There was no doubt that there was chemistry between them, but something about the setting left the wind master feeling detached. It was much too clinical. The kitsune moved into the corner, grooming. He stared for a moment before taking a seat cross-legged on the other side of the room, watching as the other pulled idly at the ends of his hair.

There was a moment filled with nothing but silence and staring, each of the redheads peeking at the other without disguising their glances. Jin was antsy, his knee bouncing up and down at a frightening rate as he waited for the other to finish-something that stopped as soon as a sly sideways glance and crooked smile was shot in his direction. Jin's ears perked up as the kitsune began to move toward him, and he took the opportunity to open his mouth, hoping that words would come out.

"What've you been plannin', Kurama?" He snapped his mouth shut rapidly, realising that the words which escaped were not the ones he intended. Kurama suppressed a grin, looking over to the horned demon who was fidgeting like a child in time out. He had to admit, despite his age, it was unbelievably cute. It was also a sign to move things along.

"I do have to confess," he said with a dramatic sigh, "that I've been less than subtle in my actions recently." He took a few steps toward the Shinobi, then stopped, picking at his sweater with slight irritation. The other tensed somewhat, his arms tightening, his muscles standing out against his slightly tanned skin. The fox loved that shade, that touch of sun which made him look so much more alive.

Something about the way the kitsune moved made Jin wonder if the room had gotten hotter than it was moments ago. Kurama looked down distractedly, face furrowed in a pouting frown. Then, without warning, his hands were at the bottom of his sweater, pulling it over his head with speed and grace. The Shinobi stared as his undershirt fluttered, leaving him for a brief moment with a view of his toned, pale abdomen. The offending article was thrown in the corner.

"Ah, that's much better," he said, sitting in front of the gaping apparition without much care. "It is quite warm in here isn't it? Anyway, you were saying?" He paused, watching as the gears began to turn in the other's mind again. He looked much more natural in his long sleeved white tunic, though the neck hole was large enough to have it hang from one shoulder. It was a less guarded look. More accessible. Jin's nerves quieted, though his heartbeat didn't seem to get the message. "Ah, yes. I've been thinking that it's about time I get what I want." he paused, letting the wind master get his bearings. "I just thought we'd talk."

A red eyebrow raised and Jin's ears pointed down questioningly.

"Talk?"

"Absolutely." When it didn't seem like the other intended to respond, the thief continued. "We never talk, you and I. I thought it would be nice, to spend some time alone." The kitsune watched as disbelief crossed over the face in front of him. He waited for a moment before the other pinned him with a look, one that caught him by surprise as much as his next words.

"And here, Kurama," he began slowly, as if testing. "Here I thought you were comin' on to me."

The kitsune's reaction was to cock his head to the side, green eyes wider than he intended, taken aback. He had planned on easing the other into the idea, one step at a time. Now, the move was no longer his. He blinked, dropping his eyes and letting out a small chuckle as his silky hair fell into his face.

"That," he laughed, raising his head and showing a much purer sparkle in his eye. "I was."

Slowly, the red line of the Shinobi's mouth began to curve upward. He began to lean forward, hands on his knees, his blue-violet eyes darkening to a curious shade. This time, it was the fox's turn to be captivated, caught by the color and the intention and the slight crinkle around the edges that came from the apparition's unbidden toothy grin.

Disappointed, anxious, clinical: such thoughts were in the past. What had spurred the kitsune's sudden interest in the wind master was unknown to him, but he wasn't about to let the opportunity slip through his fingers. He moved in quickly, the switch in his mind having been flipped at some unknown point, letting the experience that he hid from his icy companion make its way to the surface for the first time in years.

"After all those fancy tricks," he whispered, voice lower than it had been moment before, his face mere inches from the somewhat stunned fox, "don't tell me yer bowin' out now?"

It happened so fast that if he had blinked, Jin would have missed it. He would have missed the look in the half human's eyes change from shock to hunger, the parting of his deceptively soft lips, the force that went into his movement as he closed the distance between them, not bothering with sweetness or hesitation, fully uninhibited. He stumbled backwards as their faces collided, a mess of tongue and teeth and desperate, hitched breathing as the kitsune wasted no time climbing into his lap. The carefully laid plan was thrown to the wayside as coherent thought made way for raw, unadulterated need in a flurry of tearing clothes and clawing.

It had been far, far too long: too long for either of them and too hard to wait for now that it was suddenly there. The kitsune growled in the back of his throat as he pulled Jin's tongue into his mouth, one hand furiously trying to rid him of his dirt covered pants and the other pulling at his tousled red mane in a painful twisting motion. The Shinobi let him guide the movement for a moment, enjoying the force that the kitsune was exhibiting before taking over control. The former thief yipped as he lost his equilibrium and found himself on his back, his horned counterpart not giving him a moment to catch his breath before diving back down to reclaim his mouth, this time taking charge. He didn't bother to suppress a moan as the wind apparition's calloused hand made it's way to more sensitive areas, the pressure sudden and suffocating. They broke away from each other's mouths as the moan became a gasp, the disheveled fox clutching at the other's chest hard enough to leave red lines where his nails touched sunkissed skin. The wind apparition's attention was focused on the kitsune's pleasure soaked eyes, the long dark eyelashes fluttering with every hitched breath. His hand pumped, slowly but forcefully, driving the kitsune, whose arms had woven around his neck and hands had settled somewhere in the mass of red atop his head, to release.

The fox didn't lose a beat even as he came, pulling the other into a long, languid kiss that lasted long after he had finished. At the same time, one of his hands slipped downwards, pulling the Shinobi into him with an iron grip on his ass. The air apparition whined into the kiss, losing his momentum for a moment as the kitsune took control again, directing him to lean back and support his weight with bent arms. Before Jin knew it, Kurama had leveraged himself up and into his lap again, grinding back on his arousal without separating from the other's mouth. The Shinobi was at his mercy as the fox danced over him, teasing him with a heat that would be soon to follow. His mind began to go blank and the kiss broke as Jin found himself struggling to keep from losing all semblance of reason.

When the horned demon finally managed to open his eyes, which felt like it took much longer than it did, he was met with a vision of perverse perfection. The fox had leaned back, using the air apparition's raised knees for support, as he lowered himself onto his fingers with a soft cry, his own arousal quickly returning to life. Jin's eyes darted frantically over the sight in front of him, not sure where to hold his attention, when they were captured by the green orbs in front of him. The kitsune held his gaze as he adjusted to the feeling of his own fingers, mouth open as he panted in time with his slow, testing movements, still making sure to slide against his partner to keep him on the edge. Not that he needed to- the show alone was enough to keep the wind master hard for the rest of his life, or at least until Kurama decided it was time to try something more interesting. It was at the same moment that the fox found the spot within him that made him cry out and break eye contact that Jin decided his mouth could be put to better use and moved, assaulting an attack on the kitsune's chest that left him mildly incoherent.

Once again, Jin found himself in the leading position as he suckled the fox's neck, sitting up and pulling Kurama flush against him as he writhed, now fully recovered. He moved to nip at his ear, sliding one hand deftly down between them and eliciting a joint moan.

"We should've done this ages ago," the wind master groaned, using slick fingers to test and see just how thoroughly the thief had prepared himself. The fox's response was to reach up and kiss him in a show of skill, his whole body ebbing with the flow of his tongue and Jin's fingers.

"Well, the Dark Tournament seemed less than appropriate," he punctuated the sentence with two fingers in his own mouth, making them nice and wet before wrapping them around Jin's arousal, which was practically begging for entrance to the body atop of it. Jin couldn't help but shudder, not sure whether he preferred the look in his half lidded eyes of the slight husk of his musical baritone. Hell, he'd be damned if he didn't love it all.

"Who knows, maybe it woulda taken the edge off." The fox's finger's were pulled away abruptly, making him look up at the air apparition, eyes blinking in lust hazed question. Jin met him with a devilish smile, eyes narrowed and pointed in a look that clearly said the fox was fucked. It was a grin that one might've seen on him in battle, and in this arena, who wasn't winning?

Kurama cried out as a hand on his lower back pulled him down abruptly, sheathing him completely and without warning. Even so, the kitsune didn't lose a beat, one hand flying up to wrap in his own hair, pulling it from his face as he flung his head back, and the other pushing roughly against Jin, who fell back once more, letting the near ancient bandit take the reigns. There was no room for adjusting or gentleness as they set a pace that screamed of desperation, the kitsune leaning back at an impossible angle as he jutted his hips, Jin's cock sliding into him even deeper than they both thought possible. The apparition in question cursed, and it was his turn to throw back his red hair, which had matted over his eyes, his face matching in a flushed shade. Their bodies formed an obtuse angle, a sheen of sweat causing a sparkle off of their heated skin, the juxtaposing red at either end as they moved maddeningly. Kuraam had been holding himself up haphazardly, one arm behind him against Jin's knees, his other hand tangled in the red curls at Jin's base, anchoring him as he slid along his iron hot length. It was no surprise that the pace left his knees buckling, and he reached out with a needy whine as he tumbled forward, still completely full.

Jin was up in a flash, catching him as he lost his balance and laying him on his back with suave maneuvering, planting rough, biting kisses down his neck as he did. The kitsune wiggled under him, readjusting and taking the opportunity to run his fingers with feather-like softness behind and over Jin's ears. The wind apparition groaned into his neck, pausing to take a breath. It had really been too long if he had forgotten how much of an erogenous zone they were. That, and kitsune certainly knew best.

Their reprieve only lasted a moment- Kurama made a note of his dissatisfaction with their lack of movement via a rough bite to the wind master's lip, stroking himself in an exaggerated movement to add to his point. The Shinobi didn't need any more prompting, driving into him hard and fast as if they hadn't been interrupted, the brief tenderness lost and replaced with hungry ferocity. Next time, they'd have the opportunity for the sweet stuff. Next time, it would be soft, fluttery kisses and gentle caresses. Next time it wouldn't be so goddamn hard not to come on the spot.

But this time was coming to an end glaringly soon. Both were panting, keening, clawing at each other like they were trying to trade skins, holding out for that last moment, that perfect moment, the moment where their worlds went white and they forgot where they were, who they were, and any other potentially important details as to their identities. All that mattered was that finishing line, each other's pleasures seemingly only guaranteed by their own, the sights and sounds and smells of each other their only reality.

So, really, it wasn't all that strange that the disciplined ninja and the ever-aware thief didn't sense the energy heading toward them in the last few moments of their tryst. It wasn't outlandish at all to think that some part of their brains tuned out the voices outside, or the slide of the door as it opened upon the scene they were making. And it certainly wasn't inconceivable, despite being met by two faces who definitely had not been welcome participants in their lovemaking, that they both climaxed at the same time, riding out the last seconds of pleasure, audience be damned.

In fact, it took a long moment of staring at the pair in his sex soaked inebriation that Kurama realized what had just happened. It was then another moment before the shock on the two intruding faces wore off enough for the door to slide back closed, leaving them to tend their stickiness in peace. Kurama's mind flew at a mile a minute, analyzing the situation in the time it took for Jin to pull out and collapse on top of him in a shaky heap.

Something, it seemed fair to say, had gotten lost in translation. That had been the one clear thought that had passed through his mind as he registered the faces of a very confused Yusuke and a very traumatized looking Hiei. He made a mental note to track down the detective before he left the compound- he felt that he at least owed him an explanation. Obviously, the boy had confused his motives from the very beginning, mixing up targets and poorly expressed plans. Still, he should be thanked- though their plans had been different the fox couldn't really complain about the outcome. Now that his mind was clearer, the face that Hiei had made was truly priceless: a mix of shock and terror and "we'll talk later" that made the fox's lips twitch with suppressed laughter. Perhaps Yusuke's folly had really been a stroke of brilliance- he did have a way of making futures pop out of thin air. Yes, he'd definitely have to thank him.

The fox pulled himself from his thoughts as Jin rolled off of him, breathing heavily, eyes closed contentedly, though the flush on his cheeks seemed to be from more than just his exertion. Kurama grinned, rolling on his side and walking his fingers up and down the tan chest, coaxing a reaction from him. The apparition opened one eye halfway, a sheepish yet satisfied gesture.

"Well I bet we won't be livin' this one down anytime soon," his voice still held a deeper tone, and Kurama couldn't help but want him to continue, just so he could keep hearing it.

"Oh, I don't know. Yusuke doesn't handle real embarrassment too well; so I wouldn't worry. Though," he added, the slightly sweet note in his voice making Jin look at him head on, "if that is the case we should make the most of it, shouldn't we?" He leaned over, and Jin wound a hand through his hair as it fell to the side, their lips meeting in a soft, seemingly practiced move that left them both smiling. The fox moved closer, cuddling up to the other redhead as he turned so that they were lying face to face. The wind apparition raised an eyebrow mockingly as two slightly slimmer legs wove between his, securing the fox in his arms once more.

"You know, Kurama," he muttered, the smallest hint of a fresh blush on his face, "I didn't think fighting you would be so dangerous." Still, he leaned down and pressed another kiss to his lips, this one seeking but still kind. The kitsune grinned around his mouth, pulling back just enough to whisper.

"Oh, Jin, you should know by now. In the end, I always get my prize."


End file.
